Cocaine Air: Smugglers at 30,000 Ft.- Release date & time, where to watch, and more
Cocaine Air: Smugglers at 30,000 Ft. is a true-crime docuseries premiering on Netflix on June 11, 2025. Directed by Stéphane Rybojad and Thomas Dandois, it explores the 2013 Air Cocaine scandal. The series launches globally at 12:01 am PT. It features exclusive interviews and courtroom footage. The documentary dives into a dramatic drug-smuggling case involving a private jet.
The series is based on real events from March 20, 2013, in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. Authorities seized 700 kg of cocaine from 26 suitcases on a jet bound for Saint-Tropez. Four French nationals, including 2 former air force pilots, were arrested. The case raised widespread speculations about who was behind the operation.
The docuseries examines the mystery of the Air Cocaine case. It includes perspectives from key figures, including the pilots and their lawyer, Éric Dupond-Moretti. The story involves escapes, trials, and international tensions. The series aims to uncover the truth behind the smuggling plot.
When and where to watch Cocaine Air: Smugglers at 30,000 Ft.
Cocaine Air: Smugglers at 30,000 Ft. will have 4 episodes and will be released on Netflix on June 11, 2025, at 12:01 am PT. The series is exclusive to Netflix, with no official announcements indicating availability on other platforms or additional episodic releases.
Below is the table that details its release schedule across regions:
Netflix pricing varies by region.
In the United States, the plans are as follows:
- Standard with ads: $6.99/month
- Standard: $15.49/month
- Premium: $22.99/month.
In the United Kingdom, the plans are:
- Standard with ads: £4.99/month
- Standard: £10.99/month
- Premium: £17.99/month.
The true story behind Cocaine Air: Smugglers at 30,000 Ft.
As reported by The Guardian, on March 20, 2013, Dominican authorities raided a Dassault Falcon 50 jet at Punta Cana International Airport. The plane, set to depart for Saint-Tropez, carried 26 suitcases with 700 kilograms of cocaine. 4 French nationals were arrested: pilots Pascal Fauret and Bruno Odos, both former French Air Force members, passenger Nicolas Pisapia, and crew member Alain Castany.
The operation was filmed by Dominican police and monitored by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency. None of the men had criminal records, making the case unusual. The cocaine’s owner was never identified, sparking speculation about a larger network.
According to The New York Post, all 4 men denied involvement. Fauret and Odos claimed they were hired to fly the jet and were unaware of the cargo. Pisapia and Castany also denied knowledge of the drugs. The investigation, led by Dominican officials with DEA support, failed to pinpoint a mastermind.
They were sentenced to 20 years in prison for attempting to smuggle drugs into the country. However, as reported by The Guardian, in August 2015, Fauret and Odos, out on bail under house arrest, escaped to France by boat in a high-profile getaway.
As per BBC, in 2015, a Dominican court again sentenced all 4 to 20 years, but France refused extradition for the pilots, citing concerns over the trial’s fairness.
In 2019, a French court acquitted Fauret and Odos due to insufficient evidence. Pisapia and Castany faced longer detentions but had their sentences overturned in France in 2020. The true orchestrators remained unknown.
Éric Dupond-Moretti, the pilots’ lawyer, who later became France’s Minister of Justice, argued that his clients were scapegoats. No one has taken responsibility for the drugs, and the mystery and drama surrounding the Air Cocaine scandal are still unsolved.
Stay tuned for more news and updates, and watch Cocaine Air: Smugglers at 30,000 Ft. as it releases on Netflix.
